Handley Page HP.115

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HP.115

Type	research aircraft
Manufacturer	Handley Page
Maiden flight	17 August 1961
Primary user	Royal Aircraft Establishment
Number built	1

The Handley Page HP.115 was a British delta wing research aircraft built by Handley Page to test the low speed handling characteristics to be expected from a supersonic airliner of slender configuration'

The HP.115 had a delta wing of very low aspect ratio swept at 75 degrees and a fixed tricyle undercarriage. The fuselage was quite slim and narrow except at the nose where it bulged to give space for the cockpit. It was powered by a single Bristol Siddeley Viper turbojet set at the base of the tailplane fin.

The aerofoil section is a modified bi-convex type with the maximum thickness at 40% of the chord. This section was chosen as being representative of the type likely to be adopted for a supersonic transport. It has favourable chordwise distribution of crosssectional area and hence a low wave drag in supersonic flight.

The single aircraft XP841 flew for first time on 17 August 1961, at the Royal Aircraft Establishment. It was subsequently used for low speed research in suppoprt of the Concorde development programme - the BAC 221 (a modified Fairey Delta 2) covering high speed research. It is preserved at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton forming part of the "The Leading Edge Exhibition".